Even though you don’t speak French, you can still score points in a group conference by pronouncing your wine’s name or wine-related terms correctly. For example, most English/non-French speakers maintain Paris as Pair-is, but the correct pronunciation for Paris is Pa-ree, the “s” is not maintain and there is a stress on the final syllable.In French pronunciation, stressing the final syllable is very common.
Here is a list of common wine names and terms you may encounter, and this description will give you a head start on pronouncing them right. Here we go!
Wines
1- Chateau: shah-toh
- A specified viticultural holding
2- A Votre Sante: Ah Voht Sahntay
- French way of saying ‘Cheers!’
3- Chablis: Shah-blee
- White wine region north of the Cote d’Or
4- Auxey-Duresses: Ohk-zay-Du-ress
- Small red wine commune in Cote du Beaune
5- Bordeaux: Bor-doh
- Major city in the group of Gironde
6- Le: Lai (“ai” as in laid)
- The – masculine in French
7- Les: Leh (“eh” as in lead)
-The – Plural in French
8- Loire: L’war
- Vineyard area along the Loire River
9- Les Preuses: Leh Pruhz
- A Grand Cru in Chablis
10- Barrique: Bah-reek
- Bordeaux wine barrel containing 54 gallons
11- Bourgogne Aligote: Boor-goy’n Ah-lee-go-t
- A lesser wine from the Chablis region
12 – Merlot: Mair-lo
- A red wine grape of Bordeaux
13- Beaujolais: Boh-joh-leh- Red wine region of Southern Burgundy
14 – Beaune: Bohrn
- The capital of Burgundy
15- Passe-tous-Grains: Pahss-too-Grenh
- A red wine made from both Pinot Noir and Gamay
How to contend French Wines and Wine-Related Terms Correctly
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